Do not adjust your set: this is Radio Ken

The mistake I always make is to think that, on some level, politicians must know what they are doing. The less they sound as if they know what they are doing, goes the thinking, the more it is probably some grand plan, in which having your pants around your ankles is the cunning first step.

Ken Livingstone dispelled this theory masterfully yesterday when he turned radio presenter, hosting the 1pm to 4pm slot on the London radio station LBC while Jeni Barnett is on holiday. Sometimes there are no wheels within wheels. Sometimes there is just a bloke who has not thought this through.

There is probably a formula for Hosting Radio Show [After Losing Election]. He could have found it on the net, under Best Man's Speech. First, it would have said, don't slag your successor. Or if you do, do it outlandishly. Ken went after Boris with a reasonable peevishness - "He's appointing other people to do the jobs I really liked doing"; "He's still fighting an election with me, he should be going forward." Matey, you can't argue your job back. When did being right on LBC ever make anyone mayor?

That was ill-considered, but it was just the start of three hours' worth of score-settling. It was like going to the pub with someone in the middle of their divorce, only now imagine they are divorcing four people, and the pub has no booze in it. After Boris came Ken's tormentor in the London Evening Standard, Andrew Gilligan. "Any time he wants to come on to the programme, we'll give him a whole hour. I'll answer his questions about Lee Jasper, if he can answer some questions of mine." Alastair Campbell was brought on, so they could slag Gilligan together, like an angry Greek chorus. Listeners were enjoined to call in. "Ask me anything! Don't just be nice, nobody will believe it!" (I'm paraphrasing. Direct quoting off the radio makes everybody sound as if they ramble). The insincerity stretched his voice taut like cat gut. "I don't want to hear from listeners," its undertones said. "This is a silly job. I want my proper job back."

And obviously, the less he knew what he was doing, and the more accidentally tragic he sounded, the more likeable he became. So maybe it is all a big plan after all. Oh. Confusing.